Video information playback method and video information playback apparatus

Abstract

A video information playback method of playing back a recording medium on which a virtual-machine-using content whose video playback can be controlled by a program running in a virtual machine is recorded, including: performing simple resume playback for restarting playback of a main-program video of the virtual-machine-using content without activating the program, when the playback of the main-program video is interrupted and then a playback restart instruction is given; and skipping playback of predetermined video which is to be played back until a menu screen is displayed, when the simple resume playback of the main-program video is finished and then playback from an initial state is performed with activating the program.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A video information playback method of playing back a recording medium on which a virtual-machine-using content whose video playback can be controlled by a program running in a virtual machine is recorded, the method comprising: executing by a computer processor a process comprising:
 performing simple resume playback for restarting playback of a main-program video of the virtual-machine-using content without activating the program, when the playback of the main-program video is interrupted and then a playback restart instruction is given; and 
 skipping playback of predetermined video which is to be played back until a menu screen is displayed, when the simple resume playback of the main-program video is finished and then playback from an initial state is performed with activating the program, wherein a playlist file, which specifies the predetermined video which is to be played back until the menu screen is displayed, has a flag for identifying whether playback of the predetermined video can be skipped or not when playback is performed with activating the program after the simple resume playback, and the playback of the predetermined video is skipped on the basis of the flag. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the playback of the predetermined video is skipped by notifying a playback control means of time information indicating a playback finish point of the predetermined video which is to be played back until the menu screen is displayed, when playback is performed from an initial state with activating the program after the simple resume playback. 
     
     
       3. A video information playback apparatus comprising:
 a playback unit for playing back a recording medium on which a virtual-machine-using content is recorded; and a computer processor programmed to execute a program running in a virtual machine in order to control said playback unit to:
 perform simple resume playback for restarting playback of a main-program video of the virtual-machine-using content without activating the program, when the playback of the main-program video is interrupted and then a playback resume instruction is given; and 
 skip playback of predetermined video which is to be played back until a menu screen is displayed, when the simple resume playback of the main-program video is finished and then playback is performed from an initial state with activating the program, 
 
 wherein a playlist file, which specifies the predetermined video which is to be played back until the menu screen is displayed, has a flag for identifying whether playback of the predetermined video can be skipped or not when playback is performed with activating the program after the simple resume playback, and the playback of the predetermined video is skipped on the basis of the flag. 
 
     
     
       4. The video information playback apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the playback of the predetermined video is skipped by notifying a playback control means of time information indicating a playback finish point of the predetermined video which is to be played back until the menu screen is displayed, when playback is performed from an initial state with activating the program after the simple resume playback.